Security Forces personnel deployed to Louisiana
Sept. 2-16 to support law enforcement after the
devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Lt. Col. Ronald Turk headed up the flight of 35 security
forces personnel that took a KC-135E Stratotanker down to
Belle Chasse Naval Air Station New Orleans, La., to help
secure some of the hardest hit areas of the state.

“The first two nights we were there, we stayed in a
hangar on the air station,” said Master Sgt. Dave Beun, the
standardizations and evaluations non-commissioned officer
in charge for the SFS.

The SP’s supplemented the Saint John The Baptist
Parish Sheriff’s department, where they helped process the
displaced citizens to be transported out of the dangerous
areas, such as the eastern part of New Orleans. They also
performed residential patrols. Throughout the first few days
in Louisiana, there was non-stop traffic of citizens, he
added. The SFS split into two teams that worked 12-hour
shifts the entire time they were there.
They worked with the New Orleans Special Weapons
and Tactics personnel as they investigated a homicide,
enforced the midnight curfew, and arrested looters in the
area. The SFS also re-supplied the SWAT team, who was
housed up in a makeshift location inside a school, whenever
they needed supplies. This school also operated as a
temporary armory.

The SFS and local police never ran into problems as
they worked together. “We
got along great, ” Beun
said.